Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story - Hamilton Broadway Cast

This weekend I was struck by a line towards the end of our sermon. Josh was preaching on a line from the Shema: All your Heart. Our sermon series this month is about being all in for God - focusing on a different part of the Shema each week as we lead up to Christmas. Josh drew a parallel saying that what we put into our heart becomes the story we tell - and talked about the story Mary tells about the birth (and life) of Jesus, as retold by Luke in chapter 2. How a lack of forgiveness leads to a bitterness and that will be reflected in our story. Instead of focusing on a cruel Roman government who forced her to go to Bethlehem while 9 months pregnant, or a mean inn keeper with no room she speaks of it as a fact - the census happened, and the inn keeper found room for her - in the stable. Josh urged us to be mindful of the story we tell, what we add to the story. We choose our response intentionally to fill our story with truth not tainted by bias. "The story you tell becomes the story you keep" - it's a good sermon... worth listening to.

As is normal for me, however, at the end of the sermon I found myself in lala-land, lost in a song. Weirdly it wasn't a worship song, but rather a song from the end of Hamilton. Who lives, who dies, who tells your story. Eliza sings the bulk of this song. If there is anyone in this show who I feel has reason to hold onto hurt, to withhold forgiveness, to be in a place that leads to bitterness it is Eliza. She is cheated on publicly by her husband. Her husband gives their son the guns to use in a duel that leads to their son’s death. And then her husband himself dies in a duel in much the same way. And yet...

    I put myself back in the narrative
    (Eliza)
    I stop wasting time on tears
    I live another 50 years
    It's not enough (Eliza)

She doesn't hold onto the hurt or withhold forgiveness... she heeds the call, puts aside the hurt, deals with it, and isn't tainted by the bitterness. She tells the story:

    I interview every soldier who fought by your side

    (She tells our story)

    I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings

    You really do write like you're running out of time

And I started to think. We serve and love a God who came, who died, who has called us to tell His story. To champion those who fought by his side. We have the accounts of those interviewed. We have "thousands of pages" written by God's servants, to make sense of... to tell the story of a King who came, lived, died, and rose again. A story that we the living are left to tell.

Who lives who dies who tells your story...

    I ask myself, what would you do if you had more time

    The Lord, in his kindness

    He gives me what you always wanted

    He gives me more time

We have been given the gift of our time on this earth. Every day is a day to live, to breathe, to tell His story. To speak out against slavery, to care for the orphans. To see His face in the faces of those around us.

And when you reach the end, what will you be most proud of? How will you tell His story? Are you filling your life with the right things to tell his story full of hope, love, peace - with your whole heart? Or are you filled with bitterness? How will people hear the story you tell?

    Oh, I can't wait to see You again

    It's only a matter of time

    Will they tell Your story?

    Who lives, who dies, who tells Your story? 

Let me tell you what I wish I'd known

When I was young and dreamed of glory

You have no control

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

President Jefferson

I'll give him this, his financial system is a work of genius

I couldn't undo it if I tried

And I've tried

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

President Madison

He took our country from bankruptcy to prosperity

I hate to admit it

But he doesn't get enough credit for all the credit he gave us

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story

Every other founding fathers' story gets told

Every other founding father gets to grow old

And when you're gone, who remembers your name?

Who keeps your flame?

Who tells your story?

Who tells your story?

Who tells your story?

I put myself back in the narrative

(Eliza)

I stop wasting time on tears

I live another 50 years

It's not enough (Eliza)

I interview every soldier who fought by your side

(She tells our story)

I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings

You really do write like you're running out of time

I rely on Angelica

While she's alive, we tell your story

She is buried in Trinity Church near you

When I needed her most, she was right on time

And I'm still not through

I ask myself, what would you do if you had more time

The Lord, in his kindness

He gives me what you always wanted

He gives me more time

I raise funds in D.C. for the Washington Monument

(She tells my story)

I speak out against slavery

You could have done so much more if you only had time

And when my time is up, have I done enough?

Will they tell your story?

Oh, can I show you what I'm proudest of?

(The orphanage)

I established the first private orphanage in New York City

(The orphanage)

I help to raise hundreds of children

I get to see them growing up

(The orphanage)

In their eyes I see you, Alexander

I see you every time

And when my time is up

Have I done enough?

Will they tell your story?

Oh, I can't wait to see you again

It's only a matter of time

Will they tell your story? (Time)

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story? (Time)

Will they tell your story? (Time)

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Lin-manuel Miranda

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story lyrics © 5000 Broadway Music